sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第12部分

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　head　and　the　fear　rising　in　her　at　equal　pace；　but　she　still　went　to　the　path　and　looked　down；　drawing　her　sword　as　she　did　so。

there；　between　gusts　of　snow；　she　saw　a　figure　leaping　from　step　to　step；　impossible　leaps；　that　ate　up　the　distance　between　them　with　horrible　appetite。　it　was　manlike；　more　than　man…high；　and　flames　ran　like　burning　oil　on　water　where　it　trod。　sabriel　cried　out　as　she　saw　it；　and　felt　the　dead　spirit　within。　the　book　of　the　dead　opened　to　fearful　pages　in　her　memory；　and　descriptions　of　evil　poured　into　her　head。　it　was　a　mordicant　that　hunted　her鈥攁　thing　that　could　pass　at　will　through　life　and　death；　its　body　of　bog…clay　and　human　blood　molded　and　infused　with　free　magic　by　a　necromancer；　and　a　dead　spirit　placed　inside　as　its　guiding　force。

sabriel　had　banished　a　mordicant　once；　but　that　had　been　forty　miles　from　the　wall；　in　ancelstierre；　and　it　had　been　weak；　already　fading。

this　one　was　strong；　fiery；　new…born。　it　would　kill　her；　she　suddenly　knew；　and　subjugate　　　her　spirit。　all　her　plans　and　dreams；　her　hopes　and　courage；　fell　out　of　her　to　be　replaced　by　pure；　unthinking　panic。　she　turned　to　one　side；　then　the　other；　like　a　rabbit　running　from　a　dog；　but　the　only　way　down　was　the　path　and　the　mordicant　was　only　a　hundred　yards　below；　closing　with　every　blink；　with　every　falling　snowflake。　flames　were　spewing　from　its　mouth；　and　it　thrust　its　pointed　head　back　and　howled　as　it　ran；　a　howl　like　the　last　shout　of　someone　falling　to　their　death；　underlaid　with　the　squeal　of　fingernails　on　glass。

sabriel；　a　scream　somehow　stuck　and　choking　in　her　throat；　turned　to　the　cliff；　hammering　on　it　with　the　pommel　of　her　sword。

鈥渙pen！　open！鈥潯�she　screamed；　as　charter　marks　raced　through　her　brain鈥攂ut　not　the　right　ones　for　forcing　a　door；　a　spell　she鈥檇　learned　in　the　second　form。　she　knew　it　like　she　knew　her　times　tables；　but　the　charter　marks　just　wouldn鈥檛　e；　and　why　was　twelve　times　twelve　sticking　in　her　head　when　she　wanted　charter　marks　。　。　。

the　echoes　from　mosrael　faded；　and　in　that　silence；　the　pommel　struck　on　something　that　thudded　hollowly；　rather　than　throwing　sparks　and　jarring　her　hand。　something　wooden；　something　that　hadn鈥檛　been　there　before。　a　door；　tall　and　strangely　narrow；　its　dark　oak　lined　with　silver　charter　marks　dancing　through　the　grain。　an　iron　ring；　exactly　at　hand　height；　touched　sabriel鈥檚　hip。

sabriel　dropped　her　sword　with　a　gasp；　grabbed　the　ring；　and　pulled。　nothing　happened。

sabriel　tugged　again；　half…turning　to　look　over　her　shoulder；　almost　cringing　at　what　she　would　see。

the　mordicant　turned　the　last　corner　and　its　eyes　met　hers。　sabriel　shut　them；　unable　to　bear　the　hatred　and　bloodlust　glowing　in　its　gaze　like　a　poker　left　too　long　in　the　forge。　it　howled　again　and　almost　flowed　up　the　remaining　steps；　flames　dripping　from　its　mouth；　claws　and　feet。

sabriel；　eyes　still　closed；　pushed　on　the　ring。

the　door　flew　open　and　she　fell　in；　crashing　to　the　ground　in　a　flurry　of　snow；　eyes　snapping　open。　desperately；　she　twisted　herself　around　on　the　ground；　ignoring　the　pain　in　her　knees　and　hands。　reaching　back　outside；　she　snagged　the　hilt　of　her　sword　and　snatched　it　in。

as　the　blade　cleared　the　doorway；　the　mordicant　reached　it；　and　twisting　itself　side…　　ways　to　pass　the　narrow　portal；　thrust　an　arm　inside。　flames　boiled　from　its　grey…green　flesh；　like　beads　of　sweat；　and　small　plumes　of　black　smoke　spiraled　from　the　flames；　bringing　with　them　a　stench　like　burning　hair。

sabriel；　sprawled　defenseless　on　the　floor；　could　only　stare　in　terror　as　the　thing鈥檚　four…taloned　hand　slowly　opened　and　reached　out　for　her。





chapter　vii

灏�*璇�**t*xt**澶�*鍫�
but　the　hand　didn鈥檛　close；　the　talons　failed　to　rend　defenseless　flesh。

instead；　sabriel　felt　a　sudden　surge　of　charter　magic　and　charter　marks　flared　around　the　door；　blazing　so　brightly　that　they　left　red　after…images　at　the　back　of　her　eyes；　black　dots　dancing　across　her　vision。

blinking；　she　saw　a　man　step　out　from　the　stones　of　the　wall；　a　tall　and　obviously　strong　man；　with　a　longsword　the　twin　of　sabriel鈥檚　own。

this　sword　came　whistling　down　on　the　mordicant鈥檚　arm；　biting　out　a　chunk　of　burning　marsh…rotten　flesh。　rebounding；　the　sword　flicked　back　again；　and　hewed　another　slice；　like　an　axeman　sending　chips　flying　from　a　tree。

the　mordicant　howled；　more　in　anger　than　in　pain鈥攂ut　it　withdrew　the　arm　and　the　stranger　threw　himself　against　the　door；　slamming　it　shut　with　the　full　weight　of　his　mail…clad　body。

curiously　for　mail；　it　made　no　sound；　no　jangling　from　the　flow　of　hundreds　of　steel　links。　a　strange　body　under　it　too；　sabriel　saw；　as　the　black　dots　and　the　red　wash　faded；　revealing　that　her　rescuer　wasn鈥檛　human　at　all。　he　had　seemed　solid　enough；　but　every　square　inch　of　him　was　defined　by　tiny；　constantly　moving　charter　marks；　and　sabriel　could　see　nothing　between　them　but　empty　air。

he　。　。　。　it　was　a　charter…ghost；　a　sending。

outside；　the　mordicant　howled　again；　like　a　steam　train　venting　pressure；　then　the　whole　corridor　shook　and　hinges　screeched　in　protest　as　the　thing　threw　itself　against　the　door。　wood　splintered　and　clouds　of　thick　grey　dust　fell　from　the　ceiling；　mocking　the　falling　snow　outside。

the　sending　turned　to　face　sabriel　and　offered　its　hand　to　help　her　up。　sabriel　took　it；　looking　up　at　it　as　her　tired；　frozen　legs　struggled　to　make　a　tenth…round　eback。　close　to；　the　illusion　of　flesh　was　imperfect；　fluid　and　unsettling。　its　face　wouldn鈥檛　stay　fixed；　migrating　between　scores　of　possibilities。　some　were　women；　some　were　men鈥攂ut　all　bore　tough；　petent　visages。　its　　body　and　clothing　changed　slightly；　too；　with　every　face；　but　two　details　always　remained　the　same；　a　black　surcoat　with　the　blazon　of　a　silver　key；　and　a　longsword　redolent　with　charter　magic。

鈥渢hank　you；鈥潯�sabriel　said　nervously；　flinching　as　the　mordicant　pounded　the　door　again。

鈥渃an　。　。　。　do　you　think　that　。　。　。　will　it　get　through？鈥�

the　sending　nodded　grimly；　and　let　go　her　hand　to　point　up　the　long　corridor；　but　it　did　not　speak。

sabriel　turned　her　head　to　follow　its　pointing　hand　and　saw　a　dark　passage　that　rose　up　into　darkness。　charter　marks　illuminated　where　they　stood；　but　faded　only　a　little　way　on。　despite　this；　the　darkness　seemed　friendly；　and　she　could　almost　taste　the　charter…spells　that　rode　on　the　corridor鈥檚　dusty　air。

鈥渋　must　go　on？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　as　it　pointed　again；　more　urgently。　the　sending　nodded；　and　flapped　its　hand　backwards　and　forwards；　indicating　haste。　behind　him；　another　crashing　blow　caused　another　great　billow　of　dust；　and　the　door　sounded　as　if　it　was　weakening。　once　again；　the　vile；　burnt　smell　of　the　mordicant　wafted　through　the　air。

the　doorkeeper　wrinkled　its　nose　and　gave　sabriel　a　bit　of　a　push　in　the　right　direction；　like　a　parent　urging　a　reluctant　child　to　press　on。　but　sabriel　needed　no　urging。　her　fear　was　still　burning　in　her。　momentarily　extinguished　by　the　rescue；　the　smell　of　the　mordicant　was　all　it　needed　to　blaze　again。　she　set　her　face　upwards　and　started　to　walk　quickly；　into　the　passage。

she　looked　back　after　a　few　yards；　to　see　the　doorkeeper　waiting　near　the　door；　its　sword　at　the　guard　position。　beyond　it；　the　door　was　bulging　in；　iron…bound　planks　bursting；　breaking　around　a　hole　as　big　as　a　dinner　plate。

the　mordicant　reached　in　and　broke　off　more　planks；　as　easily　as　it　might　snap　toothpicks。　it　was　obviously　furious　that　its　prey　was　getting　away；　for　it　burned　all　over　now。　yellow…red　flames　vomited　from　its　mouth　in　a　vile　torrent；　and　black　smoke　rose　like　a　second　shadow　around　it；　eddying　in　crazy　circles　as　it　howled。

sabriel　looked　away；　setting　off　at　a　fast　walk；　but　the　walk　grew　faster　and　faster；　became　a　jog　and　then　a　run。　her　feet　pounded　on　the　stone；　but　it　wasn鈥檛　until　she　was　almost　sprinting；　that　she　realized　why　she　could鈥攈er　pack　and　skis　were　still　back　at　the　lower　door。　for　a　moment；　　she　was　struck　with　a　nervous　inclination　to　go　back；　but　it　passed　before　it　even　became　conscious　thought。　even　so；　her　hands　checked　scabbard　and　bandolier；　and　gained　reassurance　from　the　cool　metal　of　sword　hilt　and　the　handsmoothed　wood　of　the　bell　handles。

it　was　light　too；　she　realized　as　she　ran。　charter　marks　ran　in　the　stone；　keeping　pace　with　her。

charter　marks　for　light　and　for　fleetness；　and　for　many　other　things　she　didn鈥檛　know。　strange　marks　and　many　of　them鈥攕o　many　that　sabriel　wondered　how　she　could　have　ever　thought　that　a　first　in　magic　from　an　ancelstierran　school　would　make　her　a　great　mage　in　the　old　kingdom。　fear　and　realization　of　ignorance　were　strong　medicines　against　stupid　pride。

another　howl　came　racing　up　the　passage　and　echoed　onwards；　acpanied　by　many　crashes；　and　thuds　or　clangs　of　steel　striking　supernatural　flesh；　or　ricocheting　off　stone。

sabriel　didn鈥檛　need　to　look　back　to　know　the　mordicant　had　broken　through　the　door　and　was　now　fighting　the　doorkeeper鈥攐r　pushing　past　him。　sabriel　knew　little　of　such　sendings；　but　a　mon　failing　with　the　sentinel　variety　was　an　inability　to　leave　their　post。　once　the　　creature　got　a　few　feet　past　the　doorkeeper；　the　sending　would　be　useless鈥攁nd　one　great　charge　would　soon　get　the　mordicant　past。

that　thought　gave　her　another　burst　of　speed；　but　sabriel　knew　that　it　was　the　last。　her　body；　pushed　by　fear　and　weakened　by　cold　and　exertion；　was　on　the　edge　of　failure。　her　legs　felt　stiff；　muscles　ready　to　cramp；　and　her　lungs　seemed　to　bubble　with　fluid　rather　than　air。

ahead；　the　corridor　seemed　to　go　on　and　on；　sloping　ever　upwards。　but　the　light　only　shone　where　sabriel　ran；　so　perhaps　the　exit　might　not　be　too　far　ahead；　perhaps　just　past　the　next　little　patch　of　darkness　。　。　。

even　as　this　thought　passed　through　her　mind；　sabriel　saw　a　glow　that　sharpened　into　the　bright　tracing　of　a　doorway。　she　half　gasped；　half　cried　out；　both　slight　human　noises　drowned　out　by　the　unholy；　inhuman　screech　of　the　mordicant。　it　was　past　the　doorkeeper。

at　the　same　time；　sabriel　became　aware　of　a　new　sound　ahead；　a　sound　she　had　initially　thought　was　the　throb　of　blood　in　her　ears；　the　pounding　of　a　racing　heart。　but　it　was　outside；　beyon